WWF RAW is WAR November 30, 1998

by

Live from Baltimore, MD

Airdate: November 30, 1998

Attendance: 11,006 (sold out)

Hosted by Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler

What happens between Austin and Undertaker this week? Who makes his triumphant return? Can Mankind retain against Bossman in a ladder match? Care to find out the details of the date between Henry and Chyna?

Opening montage.

We revisit last week when ICP turned on the Oddities and aligned with the Headbangers.

Speaking of the Headbangers, they and ICP head to the ring while Austin’s fashionably late for work. He enters the ring carrying a shovel and decimates all four of them with Stone Cold Stunners. As he grabs the microphone, Austin’s impatient and wants to rearrange Undertaker’s face with his shovel.

WWF Home Video ad airs.

Check out TV Guide this week with either Austin or Undertaker on the cover. Also featured on the cover is “recently retired” Hulk Hogan and the “Stone Cold Steve Austin wannabe” Goldberg. Thanks, JR!

We revisit HeAT when the NAO partied with the McMahons but didn’t sign up for anything.

Prior to the opening match, Road Dog recites his spiel with assistance from the Baltimore faithful.

RAW is WAR is sponsored by JVC, Norelco, and Castrol GTX.

Match 1 (non-title): WWF tag team champions New Age Outlaws versus the Brood (w/ Christian)

Highlights:

  • Gangrel reversed a cross corner whip and stymied Road Dog with a side-Russian leg sweep for 2.
  • When Edge tagged in, he dealt Road Dog a flying headscissors, hoisted him atop the top turnbuckle, joined, and uncorked a super huracanrana.
  • He meandered over to the adjacent corner where Gunn was sitting atop the top turnbuckle.
  • As Edge attempted another super huracanrana, Gunn countered with a super powerbomb. Woohoo!
  • McMahon, Shane, and the Stooges emerged at the entrance to get a better view.
  • After Road Dog landed a shaky-shaky knee drop, he got 2.
  • Gunn tagged in and connected with a flying head butt to Edge.
  • While the Baltimore faithful serenaded Mr. McMahon with an “ass-hole” chant, Edge made the HOT TAG to Gangrel.
  • With all four wrestlers in the ring, Edge clotheslined Road Dog over the top rope, and both spilled down to the floor.
  • Gunn attempted a piledriver on Gangrel, but Christian snuck into the ring and hammered him with his Light Heavyweight title belt.
  • As a result, referee Earl Hebner called for the bell, and the NAO won by DQ at 2:58.

Rating: **

Summary: Edge’s high-flying is the highlight of the match while the NAO are over like Rover.

After the match, Shamrock and Bossman infiltrate the ring and destroy all three members of the Brood.

Backstage, Austin remains on the hunt for Undertaker with the shovel. Bearer and Undertaker trick him by locking him in a freezer.

D’Lo Brown and Mark Henry descend a flight of stairs, and Henry asks Brown to join him on his date with Chyna. Although hesitant, Brown agrees to do so. Strange.

Undertaker approaches the ring and grabs the microphone. Upon calling out Kane, Undertaker promises that one of them will “face the future” while the other “faces eternal darkness.” Kane emerges and enters the ring. As a brawl ensues, Kane gives Undertaker a cross corner whip but eats boot on his follow-through. Undertaker plants him with a tombstone and follows with an elbow drop. After Undertaker motions to the back, a bunch of men in white coats sprint to the ring. They try to subdue him, but Kane escapes through the Baltimore faithful.

“Moments ago,” Henry “spared no expense” and chartered a stretch limousine for the occasion. When Brown complains about not being properly dressed, Henry hooks him up with a sport coat and sunglasses. Just when Brown was digging it, Henry breaks out a chauffer’s hat. Brown was not happy whatsoever but reluctantly complies.

Henry meets Chyna and offers her flowers. Nonplussed, Chyna only wants to “get this over with.” As he allows Chyna to enter the limousine first, she recognizes Brown as the chauffeur.

We revisit last week when HBK grabbed a chair away from Rock and clobbered X-Pac with it. In the ring, X-Pac grabs the microphone and calls out the Commissioner. HBK emerges wearing a suit and joins X-Pac in the ring. While he touts his new position, HBK uses his authority to threaten X-Pac with a trip “to that money pit in Atlanta.” Tonight X-Pac will defend the European title against Shamrock per HBK. Yeah, let’s not reference WCW, right?

The limousine arrives at the restaurant, and Brown opens the door for Henry and Chyna.

Backstage, it appears that Austin has escaped. Well, no one really likes frozen rattlesnakes.

Inside the restaurant, Henry requests menus and Perrier in lieu of “Baltimore tap water.” Is he feeling crabby?

We revisit three weeks ago when Jarrett knocked Goldust’s lights out with his guitar. Later that night, Goldust exploded from the locker room to fight Jarrett.

Match 2: Jeff Jarrett (w/ Debra McMichael) versus Goldust

Highlights:

  • Owen joined the broadcast table for this match.
  • As Jarrett tried to enter the ring, Goldust met him head-on.
  • Goldust fed him an atomic drop, but Jarrett responded with a single-arm DDT.
  • When Jarrett missed a dropkick, Goldust leapfrogged him and dodged a fist drop.
  • He planted Jarrett with a Curtain Call, but Debra placed Jarrett’s foot on the bottom rope. SNEAKY!
  • After Goldust confronted her, Jarrett clotheslined him on the floor.
  • He rammed Goldust face-first into the steps and returned him to the ring.
  • While Goldust reversed an Irish whip, Jarrett dealt him a swinging neckbreaker.
  • Goldust blocked a hip toss and countered with a backslide for 2.
  • Amid Owen’s reminiscence of his KOTR ’94 victory in Baltimore, Jarrett clotheslined Goldust again for 2.
  • Goldust rebounded with a bulldog and got 2.
  • Getting reversed on an Irish whip, Goldust dropped Jarrett like a bad habit.
  • He set Jarrett up for Shattered Dreams, but Debra stepped into the ring to protect him.
  • Leaving the broadcast table, Owen nailed Goldust from behind.
  • Referee Tim White called for the bell, and Goldust won by DQ at 3:26.

Rating: **

Summary: Just time-filler for the eventual Owen run-in.

Following the match, Owen pummels Goldust, yet the Blue Blazer steps into the ring. Suddenly, Blazer clotheslines Owen and launches a lariat. Blazer unmasks to reveal himself as Blackman and beats up Owen before WWF officials separate them.

Backstage, Austin stalks Undertaker with a shovel while Bearer leads the medics in search of Kane.

PLAYSTATION SLAM OF THE WEEK: Snow clobbers Shamrock with Head enabling Mankind to retain the Hardcore title last week.

WAR ZONE!

Match 3 for the WWF Hardcore title (ladder): Mankind (champion w/ JOB Squad) versus Big Bossman (w/ Commissioner Michaels)

Highlights:

  • Before the bell, Bossman assaulted Mankind with his nightstick.
  • HBK joined the broadcast table for this match.
  • When Mankind blocked a shot to the steps, he rammed Bossman face-first into them.
  • He folded up the ladder and tossed it directly into Bossman.
  • As he blasted Bossman with the ladder, Mankind dropped it on top of him.
  • He slid the ladder into the ring, set it up, climbed, and clotheslined Bossman.
  • After sandwiching Bossman within the ladder, Mankind landed a Cactus elbow squishing numerous body parts I don’t wish to describe.
  • Another elbow onto the ladder by Mankind led to setting it up atop Bossman.
  • While Bossman thwarted his climb, Mankind retaliated with a double-arm DDT.
  • Bossman yanked Mankind down from the ladder and set it up in the corner.
  • Caroming Mankind directly into the ladder, Bossman climbed it.
  • Mankind joined him via the other side of the ladder and brawled with Bossman.
  • Brandishing Mr. Socko, Mankind fed it to Bossman.
  • With Bossman collapsing down to the mat, Mankind had the perfect opportunity to grab the belt.
  • Rock, however, rushed to the ring, pushed the ladder, and sent Mankind reeling against the ropes and down to the mat.
  • Setting up the ladder, Rock summoned Bossman to climb it.
  • Mankind took Rock on a trip WAY DOWNTOWN and yanked Bossman down to the mat.
  • Thwarting another attempt by Mankind, Rock pushed the ladder over.
  • He planted Mankind with a Rock Bottom and positioned the ladder for Bossman.
  • Climbing the ladder, Bossman retrieved the belt and won at 6:13.
  • WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

Rating: *

Summary: As far as ladder matches go, this one stinks on Melba toast. Rock’s blatant interference costs Mankind the title. On the other hand, it frees Mankind up for a World title shot without any baggage.

Afterward, HBK joins Rock and Bossman in the ring and puts the loafers to Mankind. He jabs Mankind with the nightstick to send him reeling to the floor.

Backstage, Undertaker and Kane brawl amidst a collection of tables and chairs. Undertaker flattens him and places Kane in a body bag. Next, he tells Bearer to “get the orderlies.” From the darkness, Austin sneaks up on Undertaker and obliterates him with the shovel.

Prior to the next match, Mero grabs the microphone and announces that Gill hails from Baltimore to a great pop. He states if he “can’t beat that jobber,” then he’ll retire.

Match 4: “Marvelous” Marc Mero versus Duane Gill (w/ the Pasadena Chargers)

Highlights:

  • For those unfamiliar with Maryland, Pasadena is located less than 20 miles southeast of Baltimore.
  • Before the bell, Mero knocked some sense into Gill.
  • He backdropped Gill and followed with a knee lift.
  • As Mero demolished Gill with a TKO, JOB Squad members Scorpio and Holly emerged.
  • Mero mounted the top turnbuckle, but Blue Meanie snuck amongst the Baltimore faithful into the ring and shoved him down to the mat.
  • When Gill covered Mero, he won at 2:10.
  • UPSET CITY!

Rating: DUD

Summary: Cool hometown moment for Gill as Mero bids adieu to regular work in the WWF.

Back at the restaurant, Henry recites a poem to Chyna before making a toast. Chyna slams a glass of wine and pours herself another. Meanwhile, Henry promises to take Chyna dancing.

Match 5 for the WWF European title: X-Pac (champion) versus Ken Shamrock (w/ Commissioner Michaels)

Highlights:

  • Once again, HBK joined the broadcast table for this match.
  • Shamrock gave X-Pac a HARD cross corner whip to injure the back.
  • When X-Pac reversed a cross corner whip, he ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
  • Shamrock slammed X-Pac but got stymied by a lariat.
  • As the NAO conferred with Mr. McMahon backstage, Shamrock powerslammed X-Pac for 2.
  • The Baltimore faithful LOUDLY informed Shamrock that he indeed “sucks,” yet their nemesis dealt X-Pac a knee lift.
  • After he suplexed X-Pac, Shamrock got another 2.
  • He laid out X-Pac with a spinning heel kick but couldn’t gain a submission via front face lock.
  • While Shamrock missed a kick, X-Pac didn’t.
  • X-Pac scored with his own spinning heel kick and got 2.
  • Knocking Shamrock silly with a series of kicks in the corner, X-Pac unloaded a Bronco buster.
  • HBK left the broadcast table and pulled referee Tim White from the ring to the floor.
  • Meanwhile, X-Pac floored Shamrock with an X-Factor.
  • Bossman crawled into the ring and wiped out X-Pac, but White remained distracted by HBK.
  • Abruptly, HHH returned after a long layoff and kicked Shamrock in the head.
  • White called for the bell, and Shamrock won by DQ at 4:42.

Rating: **

Summary: Just when you think the bad guys are going to steal another one, a huge return spoils their fun.

After the match, HHH and X-Pac exit the ring while HBK, Bossman, and Shamrock cry in their beer.

Backstage, Bearer leads the orderlies to where he believes Kane is inside the body bag. The orderlies load the body onto a gurney and wheel him away.

At the bar, Henry busts a move and dances around a stationary Chyna. Henry goes to the restroom, and a trio of guys hit on her. When Mr. Not-So-Smooth calls her a “bitch,” Chyna levels him. Henry explodes from the restroom and beats up the other two guys. To close things out, she leads him out of the bar.

Prior to his entrance, Venis gets escorted by ho’s with Godfather in tow. He grabs the microphone and insults Singh’s girlfriend.  Next, he calls Babu a “monkey” and asks Godfather to watch and possibly spank him. Crude but effective.

Match 6: Val Venis (w/ Godfather & ho’s) versus Tiger Ali-Singh (w/ Babu)

Highlights:

  • Venis gave Singh a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
  • As Singh gave him a cross corner whip, Venis collapsed.
  • He was playing possum because he dealt Singh a SPINEBUSTER.
  • When Singh rebounded with a DDT, he got 2.
  • He gave Venis another cross corner whip and followed with a corner clothesline.
  • After he fed Venis an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, Singh whipped him into the corner only to eat a back elbow.
  • The ho’s took interest in Babu, yet Venis backdropped Singh.
  • While Venis delivered a pair of knees to the midsection, he planted Singh with a side-Russian leg sweep.
  • Yowza! Here came Terri and Jacqueline down the ramp.
  • Terri jumped into the ring and nailed Venis WAY DOWNTOWN.
  • As a result, referee Jim Korderas called for the bell.
  • Venis won by DQ at 2:59.

Rating: ½*

Summary: Waste of time until the storyline finish.

Following the match, Terri and Jacqueline share a high-five. Out of the blue, the Acolytes destroy both Singh and Babu. Bradshaw powerbombs Babu while the Acolytes double-team Singh. To punctuate their violence, Faarooq decimates Babu with a Dominator.

Outside the arena, Bearer’s happy because he believes Kane’s been sent to a mental institution. In the meantime, Kane and Austin are watching this transpire on a backstage monitor.

Shane McMahon emerges to a chorus of boos from the Baltimore faithful. As he runs down Sable, Shane introduces her. She emerges while modeling WWF Attitude perfume and cologne.  When Shane gets a whiff, he gets more than he bargained for in the wrong fashion.

WWF Rock Bottom will be LIVE on PPV on 12/13. Order NOW!

Match 7 (non-title): WWF champion Rock versus Al Snow (w/ Head)

Highlights:

  • Snow dealt Rock a back elbow, gave him a cross corner whip, and followed with a clothesline.
  • When he unleashed a reverse enziguri, Snow got 2.
  • He barraged Rock with a series of head butts and hooked a vertical suplex for another 2.
  • As Rock halted an Irish whip, he planted Snow with a DDT for 2.
  • He sent Snow down to the floor, joined, and tried to bounce Snow off the broadcast table.
  • Blocking it, Snow made Rock taste the broadcast table. Don’t worry, RSG-ites, it tastes nothing like the steel railing.
  • Snow slammed Rock on the floor but missed a springboard moonsault off the barricade.
  • After Rock clotheslined him on the floor, he devastated Snow with a series of clotheslines in the ring for 2.
  • He gave Snow a cross corner whip followed by yet another clothesline.
  • While Rock gave him another cross corner whip, Snow applied the brakes, missed Rock, and steamrolled referee Earl Hebner.
  • Rock stymied Snow with a Rock Bottom and placed Head in the center of the ring.
  • Stupidly, Rock unfurled a Corporate Elbow to Head.
  • Snow evaded Rock’s Head shot, retrieved his prized possession, and annihilated him with it.
  • Unfortunately for Snow, Hebner remained OUT COLD.
  • Bossman and Shamrock approached the ring, but Snow wanted to knock Rock’s lights out again.
  • Instead, Rock caught and dumped Snow with a second Rock Bottom.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Rock won at 4:59.

Rating: **

Summary: I realize it’s WAY too soon to be pinning Rock in non-title matches, but this one would have tasted oh so sweet.

Afterward, Mankind sprints to the ring, but Bossman and Shamrock double-team him. Rock takes Snow down to the floor and caroms him face-first off the barricade. Joining his henchmen, Rock clobbers Mankind with the nightstick. He obliterates Snow with it too.  As the JOB Squad arrives, they take out both Bossman and Shamrock. Concurrently, Rock slithers up the ramp with the WWF title belt.

Mankind catches up to him for a feast of knuckle sandwiches. When they brawl near the entrance, Mankind dribbles Rock’s head off the entranceway.

Backstage, Austin confronts Bearer who opens the freezer door. Out walks Kane, and Bearer is practically shitting bricks. Following a commercial break, they drag Bearer to the ring against his will and toss him into the ring. Austin grabs the microphone and berates Bearer. As Austin drinks a beer, he polls the Baltimore faithful about Kane’s destruction of Bearer. As expected, the Baltimore faithful shouts their approval.

Austin pulls out a pair of scissors and destroys Bearer’s clothes. In lieu of “gutting” him, Austin and Kane haul him backstage again. They toss him outside the arena and onto the sidewalk. After Kane opens a manhole cover, Kane dumps him down before replacing the manhole cover. Revenge is quite the smelly dish yet best served cold.

Conclusion: This might become a trend within my reflections, but I’ll ask anyway. IS THIS WRESTLING? The Austin-Undertaker saga continues with more drama outside the ring than inside. Although Snow gets a RAW main event spot, he loses yet strengthens Rock’s status as a strong WWF champion. Rock’s feud with Mankind lives on albeit with Corporate insurance.

Unfathomably, HHH returns, and the Baltimore faithful hasn’t forgotten about him. Gill figuratively retires Mero, but don’t count out the “Marvelous” one yet. Diabolically, Bossman captures the Hardcore title from Mankind thanks to Rock. The Blue Blazer drama rolls on as Blackman dons the crusader’s costume to decimate Owen. Finally, Henry’s date with Chyna ends up with chivalry, so who knows if Chyna grants him another date.

I’d compare this to soap opera, but with the language, violence, and sexual undertones, this show almost belongs on Cinemax. I understand that’s what’s driving the ratings, or does it?

TV Rating: 5.00

Who won? Oh, yes. RAW’s new balls-to-the-wall format has captured the majority of wrestling fans’ short attention span with a victory by 0.8 points.

Next week, Nitro’s being held in the Astrodome, so they should pull out all the stops. RAW will be a taped show from New Haven following the European PPV, but being taped doesn’t seem to affect the ratings anymore. Who knows what might happen?

Stay tuned for WCW Thunder 12-03-98!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).